Homelessness (Hansard, 18 December 1987)

§ Mr. Cohen
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the special £25 million allocation for homelessness has been given to Waltham Forest; how many homeless people there are in Waltham Forest; what criteria were used in the distribution of this money; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
The extra resources were targeted to reduce homelessness and in particular recourse to bed-and-breakfast accommodation. In the third quarter of 1987 Waltham Forest LBC accommodated 190 homeless households. At the end of that quarter it had no one in bed and breakfast. None of the extra resources were allocated to Waltham Forest LBC.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the numbers of people who will be homeless during the fortnight of 18 December to 1 January.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
No estimate is made of future homelessness acceptances by local authorities under the Housing Act 1985.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of persons in board-and-lodging accommodation.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
At 30 September 1987 there were an estimated 11,240 households temporarily accommodated in bed and breakfast by English local authorities under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985.

§ Mr. Gordon Brown
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest available figures for the number of people who are homeless.

§ Mr. Waldegrave
In the third quarter of 1987 local authorities in England accommodated an estimated 28,700 households under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985.